The new guidelines for trusts on the contracting of cleaning services sets out clear rules and minimum standards for cleaning.

Cleaning companies who do not meet these standards will risk losing their contracts.

There's a huge piece of work to be done.

Karen Jenning from Unison

Following the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering, there had been concerns from some quarters that hospitals were taking up the cheapest cleaning contracts instead of basing their decision on which company would do the best job.

The government hopes its recent measures will ensure future contracts for cleaning are driven by quality rather than price.

Health Minister Lord Warner said hospitals could go back to contractors and ask to renegotiate contracts in light of the new guidance.

But some say there are not enough cleaners to meet the target.

Tough target

Karen Jenning from Unison said: "We have got less than 50% of the staff that we had in 1993 when the contracting out process began.

"So there's a huge piece of work to be done."

Heather Lawrence, chief executive of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Trust, said ensuring the cleaning standards were met should be a shared responsibility between the hospital and the contractor.

"It's important that each hospital resets its contract to have these standards in them.

"This guidance sets out clearly how often different areas of a hospital should be cleaned and what level of cleanliness is required.

"This means both hospitals and cleaning firms know what is expected. This is just the latest step in our drive
to improve cleanliness and lower rates of infection."

Also announced on Tuesday was the positive uptake of a National Patient Safety Agency campaign which requires all hospitals to have alcohol hand rubs near every patient and information posters to encourage good hand hygiene.

This has been implemented by about a third of trusts so far.

Chris Beasley, chief nursing officer for England, said: "The uptake of the CleanYourHands campaign is another encouraging sign of the staff and patients in the NHS working together to combat infection."